A Brief History of Time, published in 1988, was a landmark volume in science writing and in world-wide acclaim and popularity, with more than 9 million copies in print globally. The original edition was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the origins and nature of the universe. But the ensuing years have seen extraordinary advances in the technology of observing both the micro- and the macrocosmic world–observations that have confirmed many of Hawking’s theoretical predictions...

The devastating effects of deforestation and desertification. Fully revised and updated, Earth from Space covers a world of subjects — from aeronautics to ecology to commerce — through unforgettable images. (20071214)

Jay Pasachoff and Alex Filippenko combine extensive research experience (including years of research in such areas as radio astronomy, solar eclipses, supernovae, active galaxies, black holes, and cosmology), teaching experience, and textbook-writing experience to offer a book that is unparalleled in its ability to present the latest science in a way that students can understand. This brief and beautifully illustrated text – one of the briefest available for the course – offers concise coverage...

This book is organized by physical subjects, such as planetary surfaces, planetary interiors and atmosphere. Only this approach allows true comparative planetology (i.e., presentation of general physical principles, such as volcanism, tectonic evolution, mantle convection, cratering processes, and atmosphere temperature structure, followed by applications to various individual planets, satellites and interplanetary bodies). It is aimed at a short course in planetary science which covers planetary...

Emphasizing understanding rather than just giving the facts, the author reverses the material from the more traditional order into a contemporary approach which considers stars, galaxies, cosmology and the solar system in that order. The student first understands their placement in the universe rather then constructing a universe around them. Thus, the student should have a more personal perspective of the value of astronomy as a science. The text is continues to emphasize the structure of astronomical...

This text is for a short course in introductory astronomy for non-science majors. It covers history and the origin of modern astronomy, the stars, the universe, and cosmology, the solar system and life on other worlds. The author aims to give students the framework for understanding astronomy concepts and processes by considering stars, galaxies, cosmology and the solar system. Students are given a cosmic perspective that places them and their planet in the universe. In addition, the author uses...

Presents the story of modern astronomy and the new perspective allowing us to view ourselves and our planet. Designed for a one-term course in introductory astronomy. Focuses on the major conceptual ideas of the cosmic perspective and does not involve complex mathematics. Softcover. DLC: Astronomy.